


Merry Christmas, Kayleigh Kitson

by allineedisaquill



Category: Peter Kay's Car Share
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, Getting Together, Post-Season/Series 02, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 07:50:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11054553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allineedisaquill/pseuds/allineedisaquill
Summary: Kayleigh, made head of John's Christmas team, is asked by Dave Thompson to go with John to buy decorations for the store in the build-up to the busiest time of the year. Heavy snowfall renders John's car stuck in the car park miles from work and consequently, they have to talk. Will they work things out?





	Merry Christmas, Kayleigh Kitson

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a conversation with my best friend about the topic of a Christmas special. 
> 
> She writes: 
> 
> _"John is sat in the car outside the supermarket, talking to Dave Thompson on the phone. He says, “I don’t see why I can’t just go on my own.” Dave says “Because she’s the head of the Christmas team, and you’re not exactly enthusiastic about choosing decorations, are you?” Phone call ends, and we see Kayleigh walking out of the supermarket towards John’s car, sulking._
> 
> _They get settled in and set off to look at Christmas decorations for the supermarket, and at first it’s really awkward but they can’t help singing along to the radio and eventually the ice breaks and they’re talking again. They could even do a bit of on location filming at one of those tacky Christmas shops you see popping up around that time of year."_
> 
> You can find that Tumblr post (and this fic attached) [here](https://kayleighkitson.tumblr.com/post/161239208137/lyricaldanceflap-my-ideakind-of-theory-about).
> 
> Afterwards is where this fic begins! Enjoy.

John’s never really cared for Christmas shopping before, but Kayleigh has a special way of making even the most mundane things in life feel fun and new.

They take each aisle slowly, store speakers already playing the same Christmas Hits CD on repeat, and laugh at tacky decorations and ornaments. At one point Kayleigh turns to him holding up a Santa mask to her face, one so terrifying it would ruin any kid’s Christmas, and he laughs so loud several shoppers and employees cast him dirty looks.

“Bloody hell, looks like not every bugger has the Christmas spirit yet,” he remarks to Kayleigh as he pushes their fast-filling trolley and they quickly round the corner to another aisle to avoid more scrutiny.

“Bah humbug,” Kayleigh says with a grin, walking alongside him.

He spends the rest of the time savouring her voice as she hums and sings under her breath to the holiday songs. He’s missed this - _her_ \- so much.

* * *

 

By the time they leave the store nearly two hours later, the sun’s getting ready to go down and they discover that the light flurry of snowfall they drove through on the way here has now turned heavy and thick, falling fast and covering everything in a white glistening blanket.

Kayleigh happens to love the snow. John not so much.

“Christ almighty, look at my tyres!” He exclaims as they carry their bags to the car - there’s no way they could push their trolley through the snow already burying the car park. “Come on, get a wriggle on before we get stuck,” he tells Kayleigh as they hurriedly pack their shopping into his boot.

“Come on, clunk click every trip,” he says as they buckle in and he turns the car on, but to his horror it won’t budge from its spot. “You’re ‘avin’ a laugh!” He cries, trying to no avail as Kayleigh watches on in disbelief.

“This is all we need, this. Bloody stuck in another retail park miles from work with eight bags of store Christmas decorations in the boot!” He gives up and shuts the car off, watching the relentless snowfall in frustration.

Kayleigh sits in her seat quietly and frowns out of her window. She loves the snow and she’s loved this trip, but she’d be lying if she said she was completely looking forward to getting stuck in the car with John so soon after the last time. It’s still raw, no matter how much they laugh and joke and pretend as if it never happened. It did, and it hurt, and she hasn’t moved on yet.

She wraps her arms around herself, shivering and realising just how little warmth her little jacket provides. Her legs are chilly too.

“Frig a dick, trust us to get stuck when I’m dressed like this,” she grumbles.

John chuckles despite the situation. “Least it’s not your Hagrid outfit.”

Kayleigh can’t help but laugh with him. “I dunno, at least the beard might have kept me face warm,” she says, turning her head to look at him.

Rolling his eyes good-naturedly, John shuffles out of his suit jacket and holds it out. “Here, you daft cow. You’ll catch your death like that.”

She takes the jacket but hesitates. “Won’t you be cold?” She asks, searching his face.

“I’ll be reet,” he says, shrugging his shoulders and looking out of his window.

Giving in, she drapes it over her shoulders and inwardly revels in how it completely surrounds her. It smells of his deodorant and aftershave and the familiar scent of his car, and she’s briefly overwhelmed with how at home it all makes her feel. The tiny red Fiat is more of a home to her than her old house and her Mandy’s could ever hope to be. It’s even more than the car; it’s _John_.

“Could be here for hours yet,” John mutters beside her.

She glances over. “D’you reckon?” She asks, alarmed.

John nods at her. “Everyone and their mum’ll be ringing services fo’ t’ get out of this, we’re all in the same boat.” He looks away again. “Could get us out of it myself if I had that bloody snow shovel,” he says under his breath.

“If we’re gonna be stuck for hours, could we at least put the radio on?” Kayleigh asks tentatively, feeling like it’s a sore subject in itself. To her surprise, John just nods and gestures to it.

“Go for it,” he quietly echoes his words from that first day. “I’d best ring triple A, see when the cavalry can come to our rescue. Won’t be a minute,” he says.

Kayleigh reaches forward and turns on the radio as John leaves the car.

* * *

 

“Three hours,” he states irritably as he re-enters the drivers’ seat.

“Flippin’ ‘eck, you weren’t kidding,” Kayleigh says.

“Right royal piss-take,” he adds.

They fall into silence as the snow continues falling from the heavens and Forever FM’s Holiday Hits emanate softly from John’s car radio. ‘Stay Another Day’ by East 17 begins to play and Kayleigh sighs as she watches the white flakes drift by her window with the backdrop of the sun setting in the sky.

She mouths the words to herself and imagines those big white parkas with fluffy hoods, a duet with herself and John as they sing to each other in the middle of the snowy car park. It’s dramatic and ridiculous yet weighs her heart.

“So… Are you doin’ anythin’ nice for Christmas?”

John’s awkward words break her from her daydream.

“Not really. Our Mandy’s cooking dinner, the kids’ll be there, it’ll be nice to see them happy and opening their presents and that I suppose. Better to be with family than on me own.” She doesn’t look at John.

“Oh right,” he muses. “Mum’s going abroad, wants a tropical Christmas this year. I don’t blame her with this, shower of shit,” he tells her.

The thought of John alone at Christmas tugs at her chest. _Nobody should be alone at Christmas_ , she thinks, and yet she bravely reminds herself that he had the chance to not be alone and didn’t take it. He blew that himself.

“Reminds me though,” John continues, “I got you something.” Kayleigh finally looks around as she hears him shuffling under his seat. She watches as he produces a small gift-wrapped present and is more than surprised when he hands it over with a sheepish smile on his face. “Merry Christmas.”

Kayleigh stares. “Seriously?” She asks, ready to argue.

John rolls his eyes but keeps smiling. “Just open it, will ya?”

Warily, she does. Kayleigh peels off the wrapping paper carefully - covered in grinning polar bears and penguins wearing scarves - and is puzzled when it reveals a CD with John’s handwriting scrawled across it in black pen.

> _You missed it the first time around._  
>  _You’re one in a million, Kayleigh Kitson._  
>  _Love always,_  
>  _John xx_

“Play it,” John urges in response to Kayleigh’s confused expression.

“Okay…” Kayleigh says, opening the case and putting the CD in the slot.

Together they sit and listen as a recording of Forever FM plays, the presenter relaying John’s request to quote Dirty Dancing. Kayleigh’s jaw drops to the floor of the car as realisation dawns on her face.

“Is this…?” She gasps, pointing at the stereo.

“Right after you got out of the bloody car,” John confirms.

“Wow,” she breathes. The CD stops and the radio resumes and Kayleigh doesn’t have the slightest clue what to say next.

“I was an idiot. I should have just told you, but I always let something get in the way and I’m sorry. It’s the last thing you deserve. I tried to tell you this way and…well, that backfired, didn’t it?” He laughs weakly at himself.

Kayleigh turns towards him and John follows suit.

“Go on,” she says cheekily, tilting her head to the side as gazes at him.

John treats her to a smile only ever reserved for her and takes her small hands in his larger ones, momentarily distracted at their temperature.

“You’re freezing!” He shouts, rubbing his hands across hers.

“John.”

He meets her eyes, stilling their hands again. “You mean the world to me.” It’s the first confession of many. _Too late to stop now, Redmond_ , he tells himself. “And I should have told you before. I love you. I love you, Kayleigh, and I don’t ever want to come that close to losing you ever again. Okay?”

Kayleigh’s eyes mist over and her lower lip wobbles. “I thought you’d never…”

“I know. I got there in the end, though,” he grins.

“Took you long enough!” She squeaks, batting his arm lightly and sniffling.

“I know,” he repeats, softer this time. “D’you forgive me?”

She shrugs and looks away, feigning indifference. “I’ll have to think about it.”

John laughs and quickly reaches under his seat again, producing something else which he holds up in the space between their heads.

“Maybe this’ll change your mind,” he suggests.

Confused, Kayleigh looks back to John’s face before following his arm up until her eyes land on the mistletoe in his hand. She throws her head back and laughs in delight.

“When did you buy that?” She asks.

“Sneaked it through when you weren’t looking,” he explains, looking proud. “Merry Christmas, Kayleigh Kitson.” With that, he leans in. Their lips meet halfway and it’s new and electric and everything they hoped it would be.

“Merry Christmas,” Kayleigh replies when they pull apart softly. Her eyes flicker down to his mouth which sparkles with her glitter gloss. “Hold on,” she grins and wipes it away with her thumb.

“Give over,” he mutters as he smiles.

The first notes of ‘Fairytale Of New York’ by The Pogues drift from the radio and Kayleigh reaches over to turn the volume up.

“I love this one!” She squeals, clapping her hands together.

“Oh, what a classic! 1988, you can’t beat this,” he says.

Together they dissolve into song and being stranded by the weather becomes a distant worry, carried away with the snow on the wind as they sing the chorus at the tops of their voices and hold each other’s hands tightly.

 _This time_ , they think together, _I’m never letting go._

**Author's Note:**

> For more Car Share content, follow my Tumblr [@kayleighkitson](https://kayleighkitson.tumblr.com/) and my best friend's Tumblr [@lyricaldanceflap](https://lyricaldanceflap.tumblr.com/).
> 
> The artwork linked at the bottom of the fic is also MINE. Please do not repost it. You can find the original post of that on my blog too. Thank you.


End file.
